Stringed musical instrument.



No. 633,876. Patented Sept. 26, I899. F. MENZENHAUER.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Kay 20, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I,

WITNESSES. h /NVENTO/? MM%M Q'/% U A77 BNEYS No. 633,876. Patented Sept. 26, I899. F. MENZENHAUER.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Appl ication filed May 20, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets8heei 2 l N f mm! mm. .7 I I f 43 l II" y 7 I l WITNESSES m VEN rm? M... 7QM of W W W A 77'0HNE rs UNITED STATES PATENT Curios.

FREDERICK MENZEYHAUER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

STRlNGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 633,876, dated September 26, 1899.

A li ation fil d M 20, 1899, Serial No. 717,608. (No model) To (All who/1t ii 71mg COILOCY'IL.

Be it known that I, FREDERICK Mnxznx- HAUER, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Stringed Musical Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to citherns, guitars, mandolins, &c.; and its object is to provide a new and improved stringed musical instrument arranged to enable a performer to accurately pick the strings called for by the music either singly or in groups, to sound chords, and to permit of readily learning to play the instrument without requiring much knowledge of music.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as willbe fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the improvement with parts broken out. Fig. 4.- is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 4.- i in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same on the line 5 5 in Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the picks.

The improved musical instrument, as shown in the drawings, is in the form of a eithern and is provided with a body A and 'a soundingboard B, over which are stretched in the usual manner the melody-strings C and the accompaniment strings D. Across the melodystrings C extends a bridge E, secured to the top of the sounding-board B, and in which is arranged a pick-board F, carrying a number of picks G, corresponding to the number of strings (3, one pick being for each string to pick this string only when the instrument is played, as hereinafter more fully described.

Each pick G is provided with a body G and a flexible staff or shank G preferably made fiat, as indicated in Fig. 6, the lower projecting end being pointed, the upper end being secured in the body G by a pin G extending sidewise through the body and projecting at the ends thereof to form guide-lugs for guiding the pick in its up-and-down movement and for holding the same against rotation in the pick-board F. The body G of a pick projeets with its lower end through an aperture 1" in the cover F, attached to the top of the pick-board F, and preferably projects at its sides and ends somewhat over the correspond ing parts of the bridge E.

The lower portion of the body G of a pick. is mounted to slide in a seat F, formed in the pick board, and the staff extends through a reduced aperture in the lower portion of the pick-board to stand with its lower pointed end normally above its string and somewhat at one side thereof when the pickboard F is in either end position. A coilspring H is seated in the bottom of the seat F and presses against the under side of said pick-body to hold the pick normally in the position referred to that is, with the upper end of the body projecting somewhat above the cover F and with the lower pointed end of the pick-staff Gr standing somewhat above the corresponding string C. The guide-lugs formed at the ends of the pin extend in a longitudinal slot F, formed in the top of the pick-board under the cover F, so as to hold the pick against rotation and limit the upward movement thereof caused by the spring 11 by the guide-lugs abutting against the under side of the cover F.

On the under side of the body G of a pick G is secured one or more adjusting-screws G", extending downward and adapted to rest with their heads on the bottom of the seat to limit the downward sliding movement of the pick when pressed on with the finger of the performer. By screwing the screws G farther into the body G more sliding movement is given to the pick and when screwed ontward the sliding movement is reduced. Thus by adjusting thescrews G" the lower or pointed end of the flexible pick-staff G is brought in proper relation to the string to be picked at the time the pick is pressed and a sidewise movement is given to the board F, as hereinafter more fully described.

The board F is mounted to travel sidewisethat is, across the strings Oand, as shown in the drawings, is for this purpose mounted.

at its ends on transversely-extending felt covered rollers i, mounted to travel on tracks J, and limited in their traveling motion by transverse stops J, preferably secured to the top of the sounding-board B, part of which also forms the said track J; but it is evident that the latter maybe made of a separate piece and secured to the sounding-board or other part of the body of the instrument. In order to prevent the board F from moving upward, I provide the sides of the bridge E with transversely-extending pins 1', (see Fig. 3,) reaching over longitudinally-extending guideways F formed on the front and rear edges of the board F, so that the latter can readily slide from right to lcftor from left to right, but not move in an upward direction. One end of the board F is pressed on by a coil-spring K, held on the corresponding end of the bridge E (see Figs. 3 and 4:) to normally hold the pick-board, with its picks G, in a right-hand side positionthat is, with the pick-staffs of the picks standing somewhat at the right of their corresponding strings, as indicated in Fig. 4. The ends of the pickboard F are provided with cushions L, of felt or other material, and similar cushions N are on the sides of the said board, the cushions serving to prevent undue noise when shifting the pick-board from one end position to the other, and the cushions N also serve to prevent undue transverse movement of the pickboard in the bridge E.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the cover F of the pick-board F is provided with notes and unmerals for indicating the picks andthe strings to be picked by the picks, so that when the music to be executed calls for a particular note the performer simply presses the pick indicated by the note on the cover and then shifts the board F to one side, so that this depressed pick picks the proper string with its staff G and as soon as this has been done the performer can release the pressed pick to allow the spring H thereof to return the pick to its former normal position, and upon the operator now releasing the board F at the same time the spring K returns the board to its normal right-hand position. If it is desired to sound the same string twice in suc cession to produce a mandolin effect, the per former can keep the pick pressed during the return stroke of the board, so that the staff again picks the string during this return movement. \Vhen the music calls fora number of strings to be sounded at the same time to produce a chord, for instance, the performer presses with his fingers the corresponding picks G and then shifts the board F to the left against the tension of the spring K to cause the pressed picks to pick the strings by their staffs G and produce the desired chord.

It is expressly understood that the board F contains as many picks as there are strings G on the instrument, one pick serving only to pick one particular string and no other,

whet-her the board F is shifted to the left or to the right. It is further understood that when the performer presses a pick with his finger he can then by pushing to theleft cause 1 the board F to move in the same direction.

against the tension of the spring K to pick the string by the staff G of the pressed pick, and it requires no additional poweror movement on the part of the performer to shift the board in the direction mentioned, and as soon as the performer completely releases the key the spring K returns the boa rd to its normal position.

- By locating the pick-staffs in the manner described it is evident that when the board F is in either of its end positions and a pick is pressed then the staff will pass between adjacent strings, but never upon a string to inj u re the same, as would be the case if the arrangement were otherwise.

As shown in the drawings, the picks are ar ranged in three rows, and the guide-slots for the projecting ends of the pins G are preferably formed by a single groove for each row of picks, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3, this arrangement permitting of manufacturing the picker board very cheaply.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A stringed musical instrument,provided with a pick-board having a limited movement across the strings of the instrument, and a plurality of picks, one for each string, and mounted in the pick-board to move with the satne and standing normally above the strings, each pick beingmounted to move at an angle to the movementof the pick-board, so that when the pick is pressed and the pickboard is moved, the pick picks its string, substantially as shown and described.

2. A stringed musical instrument,provided with a plurality of picks, one for each string and standing normally above the same, apickboard in which the picks are mounted to move independently of each other, said pickboard being mounted to move across the strings, and means to limit the movement of the pick-board and cause a pressed pick to pickits particularstring only, when the board is moved, substantially as shown and de scribed.

3. A stringed musical instrutnent,provided with a plurality of picks, one for each string and standing normally above the same, a pick board in which the picks are mounted to move independently of each other, said pickboard being mounted to move across the strings, and means to limit the movement of the pick-board and cause a pressed pick to pick its particularstring only, when the board is moved, the points of the picks being out of alinement with the vertical plane of the strings, substantially as shown and described.

4. A stringed musical instrument,providcd with a plurality of picks, one for each string and standing normally above the same, a pickboard in which the picks are mounted to move independently of each other, said pickboard being mounted to move across the strings, and means to limit the movement of the pick-board and cause a pressed pick to r i l pick its particular string only, when the board is moved a full stroke to either one side or the other, the points of the pick standing out of vertical alinement with the strings, so that when a pick; is pressed at the time the pickboard is at the end of its stroke, the pickpoint passes between its string and the next adjacent one, substantially as shown and described.

5. A stringed musical instru ment,provided with a pick-board, a plurality of picks mounted independently of each other in said pickboard and adapted to be pressed by the performer, to bring the pick-point down in position for picking a string sidewise when the pick-board is subsequently moved in this direction, and rollers on which the pick-board ismounted to travel, substantially as shown and described.

6. A stringed musical instrument,provided with a pick-board, a pluralityof picks mount.- ed independently of each other in said pickboard and adapted to be pressed by the performer, to bring the pick-point down in position for picking a string sidewise when the pick-board is subsequently moved in this direction, rollers on which the pick-board is mounted to travel, and stops for limiting the rolling movement of said rollers,substantially as shown and described.

7. A stringed musicalinstrument, provided with a pick-board, a plurality of picks mounted independently of each other in said pickand cause a pressed pick to pick its particir lar string only, when the board is moved, and a return-spring for the said pickboard and adapted to be compressed when the board is manually shifted to one side by the performer, to return the board to its former position when released by the performer, substantially as shown and described.

10. A stringed musical instrument, provided with a plurality of picks, one for each string and standing normally above the same, a pick-board in which the picks are mounted to move independently of each other, said pick-board being mounted to move across the Q strings, means to limit the movement of the pickboard and cause a pressed pick to pick its particular string only, when the board is moved, and a spring for each pick to hold the same normally in an uppermost position and to return the picker to this position after heiug pressed and then released by the performer, substantially as shown and described.

11. A stringed musical instrument, provided with a plurality of picks, one for each string and standing normally above the same, a pick-board in which the picks are mounted to move independently of each other, said pick-board being mounted to move across the strings, means to limit the movement of the pick-board and cause a pressed pick to pick its particular string only, when the board is moved, a return-spring for said pick-board and adapted to be com pressed when the board is manually shifted to one side by the performer, to return the board to its former position when released by the performer, and a bridge fixed to the sounding-board and extending over the strings of the instrument and in which the pick-board is confined to board and adapted to be pressed by the performer, to bring the pick-point down in position for picking a string when the pick-board is subsequently moved in this direction, rollers on which the pick-board is mounted to travel, and a track for the rollers to travel on and having limiting-stops at the ends, substantially as shown and described.

8. Astringed musicalinstrument, provided with a pick-board, a plurality of picks mounted independently of each other in said pickboard and adapted to be pressed by the performer, to bring the pick-point down in position for picking a string when the pick-board is subsequently moved in this direction, rollers on which the pick-board is mounted to travel, and a track for the rollers to travel on and having limiting-stops at the ends, said track forming an integral part of the sounding-board of the instrument, substantially as shown and described.

9. Astringed musicalinstrument, provided with a plurality of picks, one for each string and standing normallyabove the same, a pick- 5 board in which the picks are mounted to move independently of each other, said pick-board being mounted to move across the strings, means to limit the movement of the pick-board move, substantially as shown and described.

12. A stringed musical instrument, provided with a pick-board having seats and guideways, a pick slidable in a seat, and consisting of a body and a flexible stalt secured in the body, guide-lugs on the body and engaging said guideways, to guide the picks in their sliding movement and to hold the same against rotation, and a spring for holding the pick normally in an uppermost position, substantially as shown and described.

13. A stringed musical instrument, provided with a pick-board having seats and gnideways, a pick slidable in a seat, and con sisting of a body and a flexible staff secured i in the body, guide-lugs on the body and engaging said guideways, to guide the picks in their sliding movement and to hold the same against rotation, a spring for holding the pick normally in an uppermost position, and adjusting'scrcws on the under side of the said body, to more in contact with the bottom of the seat when the pick is pressed to limit the sliding movement of the pick-staff point in proper relation to the string to be picked, substantially as shown and described.

14. A. pick for a stringed musical instrument, comprising a body, a flexible pick-staff inserted therein, and adjusti11g-serews on said body for limiting the sliding movement of the pick when. in use, substantially as shown and described.

15. A pick for a stringed musical instrument, comprising abody, a flexible picketafi' inserted therein, adjusting-screws on said body for limiting" the sliding movement of the pick when in use, and a pin extending sidewise through the piek-body and said staff, to secure the latter to the body, the ends of the pin projecting from the sides of the body to form guideways for the pick, substantially as shown and described.

10. A stringed musical instrument, provided with a pick-board having seats and guideways, a pick slidable in a seat, and consisting of a body and a flexible stal'i secured in the seat, guide-lugs on the body and en gaging said guideways, to guide the picks in their sliding movement and to hold the same against rotation, a spring for holding the pick normally in an uppermost position, and a cover for the said board and through which project the upper ends of said body, to be within convenient reach of the performer, the under side of the cover forming a stop for the said guidedngs, to limit the upward movement of the pick pressed on by the spring,substantially as shown and described.

FREDERICK MENZENHAUER. Witnesses:

THEO. G. HOS'lEl-t, EYERARD BOLTON BIARSIIL'ALL. 

